Baby bottle and music box unit

ABSTRACT

In order to soothe and calm a baby and encourage him to eagerly drink from a baby bottle, a cap retaining a music box is shaped to be detachably coupled to the bottom of the baby bottle. A closed end of the cap has a positioning hole through which a windup stem of the music box extends so a person can easily crank or wind up the music box at a desired time.

United S ta tes Patent Inventor Marvin L. Wergeland 37 Saviers Road,Oxnard, Calil. 93030 880,010

Nov. 26, 1969 Dec. 14, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented BABY BOTTLE ANDMUSIC BOX UNIT 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 215/11 C, 2l5/l1R,46/175 Int. Cl....' A6 lj 9/00 FieldofSearch2l5/ll;

ZZZ/179.5, 182; 220/42 A, 42 E 97 F; 401/124, 98,202,213, 195, 196; 46/ll, 175

[56] References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,929,290 3/1960 Smith 215/]1.3 UX FOREIGN PATENTS 288,756 6/1953 Switzerland 84/95 PrimaryExaminer-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner-James M. SlatteryAuomey-Pastoriza and Kelly ABSTRACT: In order to soothe and calm a babyand encourage him to eagerly drink from a baby bottle, a cap retaining amusic box is shaped to be detachably coupled to the bottom of the babybottle. A closed end of the cap has a positioning hole through which awindup stem of the music box extends so a person can easily crank orwind up the music box at a desired time.

Patented Dec. K4,, 19H

INVENTOR. MARVIN L. WERGIELAND ATTORNEYS ll BABY AND MUSIC ROM UNITBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to baby bottles andmore specifically to a baby bottle in combination with a music box thatmay be operated to induce a baby to drink milk.

From time to time some infants completely resist taking or drinking milkor formula from conventional baby bottles and this reluctance is bothharmful to their health and very annoying and sometimes alarming to theparents or supervisors. On other occasions the milk is accepted onlygrudgingly and intermittently over a long span of time and this istedious for the parent.

In order to influence the infant to eagerly or at least willingly acceptthe baby bottle various techniques and practices have been attemptedsuch as singing or playing a music box, the sounds of which are thoughtto relax and soothe the infant and make him much less hostile to thebaby bottle.

Music boxes are ordinarily coupled to and generally concealed withinstuffed animals, dolls, toys or other articles that are separated fromthe baby bottle. In addition to being expensive these articles oftentend to distract the infant's attention from the baby bottle and he mayreach for the article instead of clutching or being satisfied by thebaby bottle. Thus the advantages of ordinary music boxes positionedtotally apart from the baby bottle are unpredictable and may wellinterfere with the infant's drinking behavior rather than assisting him.

As shall be fully described this invention is aimed at coupling a musicbox and baby bottle in a manner so that the advantages of the music boxcan be satisfactorily employed to soothe the baby and urge him to drinkfrom the baby bottle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION Briefly stated this invention comprehendsa simple, inexpensive and effective structure for encouraging an infantto drink from a baby bottle. In the broadest aspects of this invention amusic box is retained within a cap that can be detachably coupled to ababy bottle. The cap has a wall portion formed with a positioning holethrough which the windup stem of the music box extends.

In accordance with one embodiment the baby bottle includes a containerwith an open top end for holding a conventional nipple and cover, and, aclosed bottom end shaped for being inserted into and makingpress-fitting engagement with the cap.

In accordance with a second embodiment of this invention the music boxwindup stem projects through a positioning hole formed through a closedend of the cap. A crank is pivotally secured to the tip of the windupstem and a recess is formed in the cap closed end for retaining thecrank when it lies in its retracted position.

In order to hold the music box in a confined position adjacent the capclosed end, a plurality of locking tabs extend inwardly from the capinterior wall and are arranged to make snap-fitting engagement with themusic box. The cap is formed within enlarged lower cylindrical sectionthat is sized to be snugly seated upon the baby bottle top when, forexample, the parent or babysitter wishes to take advantage of the musicbox during periods when the baby is not required to drink milk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The numerous benefits and uniqueaspects of the present invention will be fully understood when thefollowing detailed description is studied in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective exploded view of one embodiment constructed inaccordance with this invention, showing a cap retaining a music boxoriented for insertion into the base of a baby bottle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partly broken away, showing the music boxretained in a hollow section of the cap;

, FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing the cap positioned on thebaby bottle top with the crank of the music box windup stem arranged ina raised position for use in winding up the music box; and,

FIG. d is a side view partially broken away of a second embodimentconstructed in accordance with this invention, showing the music boxwindup stem extending through a sidewall portion of the cap. DETAILEDDESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now toFIG. I a baby bottle and music box unit 10 incorporates a conventionalbaby bottle lll including an elongated plastic tubular casing 12 havingan open top end 12 and an open bottom end I3. A nipple 11d has aresilient depending skirt M which when stretched outwardly by a personand slipped over end 12 will accomplish a virtually leakproof seal withbaby bottle III. A disposable and collapsible flexible sack or bag lidis firmly held within baby bottle 111 in the customary manner. Bag 116contains liquid such as milk 117 intended to be consumed by the baby.Ordinarily bag 116 will lie loosely adjacent the casing sidewall and beslightly spaced therefrom at its lower end by an annular gap lid.

A cap 19 is structured and FIGS. for being detachably coupled withinbottom end 13 of baby bottle llll. Cap 19, constructed from somesuitable durable plastic material, has an open end 20 and a closed end2ll a portion of which is formed with a depression or recess 22.Extending outwardly from the interior portion of cap I9 and partiallybut not entirely through recess 22 is a windup key or stem 23 associatedwith a music box shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A. ring-shaped crank 24 ispivotally secured to the exposed tip of windup stem 23 so that whenurged manually from a retracted position as shown in FIG. I to anextended position shown in FIG. 3 a person may windup the music box. Thecap 119 has an upper cylindrical section 25 sized for making wedge orpress-fitting engagement within casing end 113 and a lower cylindricalsection 26 that may optionally be clamped over the nipple M and topcasing end III as shall be subsequently described.

FIG. 2 shows the crank 24 lying in its retracted position substantiallyflat against the floor wall portion of recess 22. Windup stem 23 iscoupled in the usual manner to a music box 27 that is of simple, compactconstruction. When crank 24 is manipulated to rotate windup stem 23 thena conventional spring mechanism within music box 27 is caused to storespring energy. When crank 24 is thereafter released the stored springenergy operates to drive a drum formed on its external periphery withprojections past a series of musical tines joined together in a bar. Asthe projections are forced past the tines according to a predeterminedmusical pattern then a musical tune such as a nursery rhyme tune iscreated for the amusement and entertainment of the infant.

The music box 27 is confined within the upper cylindrical section 25 andits lower end 2%, in the: position shown in FIG. 2, rests upon aplurality of locking tabs 29. A plurality of locking tabs 29 extendinwardly from the interior wall of cap 119 and are sutliiciently spacedand arranged to make snaptitting engagement with music box 27. There issufficient longitudinal clearance between locking tabs 29 and cap closedend 2t so that when crank 24 is removed the music box 27 and stem 23 canbe thrust past locking tabs 29 into their desired positions. Thereaftercrank 2d may be easily pivotally attached to stem 23. Music box 27 maybe easily withdrawn from its chamber cylindrical section 25 formaintenance, cleaning or replacement purposes. The diameter of upper capcylindrical section 25 is indicated by ID, and the longitudinal lengthsof the cap upper cylindrical section 25 and lower cylindrical section 2sare indicated by L and L respectively. In order to furnish adequatespace for confining music box 27 length L, would ordinarily exceedlength L Referring to FIG. 3 cap-closed end 21 is formed therethroughwith a positioning hole 30 surrounded by recess 22. Positioning hole 30is aligned eccentrically within recess 22 so that crank Ml, as bestshown in FIG. 2 can lie neatly within a shallow space and below theplane of the cap-closed cylindrical section 25 is substantiallyequivalent with the diameter D, of the interior surface of tubularcasing l 1 so that cap l9 can be inserted into and snap fitted againstthe tubular casing bottom end l3. Two or more locking tabs 29 may befonned on the interior wall of cap 19 in order to constitute holdingmeans for retaining the music box 27 in the desired confined position.The upper margin of flexible bag 16 is tightly pressed between cap topend 12 and the depending skirt 15 of nipple 14. By the arrangement ofFIG. 3 the music box 27 is capable of entertaining the infant before orafter the infant is scheduled to drink milk 17. Optionally, the musicbox 27 may be used at any randomly selected time to entertain theinfant.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of this invention wherein adifferent type of conventional baby bottle 31 has a container 32 with anopen top end 33. End 33 is formed with the customary threaded neck forreceiving a cover 34 shaped to hold a nipple 35.

A cap 36, analogous to the cap 19 of the FIG. 1 embodiment, has an openend 37 sized for being slipped over the closed bottom end 38 ofcontainer 32 in order to make pressfitting engagement therewith. Asidewall portion 39 of cap 36 is formed with a recess 40 and positioninghole (not shown) through which the windup stem 41 of a music boxextends. A ring-shaped crank element 42 may be used by a parent orbabysitter in order to set the music box for playing musical tunes.

OPERATION Keeping the above two constructions in mind it can beunderstood how the existing problems of encouraging an infant to drinkmilk are substantially overcome by the present invention.

Initially the baby bottle and music box unit 10 is assembled by snapfitting the music box 27 into its desired position, as shown in FIG. 2,and pivotally attaching crank 24 to windup stem 23.

When feeding time arrives for the infant the parent or babysitter firstpours milk 17 or other liquid in the baby bottle ll and attaches thenipple 14 in the customary manner. Thereafter crank 24 is flipped fromits retracted position of F IG. 2 to its extended position of FIG. 3 andtwisted through a sufficient number of revolutions until windup stem 23has adequately set music box 27 for imparting music.

Cap 19 is then oriented as shown in FIG. 1 and pushed forwardly untilmost or all of cylindrical section 25 is urged into casing bottom end 13so that casing 11 and cap 19 can be frictionally held together as a unit10. When the spring energy within music box 27 is expended then cap 19can be easily decoupled and pulled away from baby bottle 11, wound upagain, and reinserted to resume the entertainment and amusement for theinfant.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the present invention hasprovided a music box and baby bottle unit in which all of the variousadvantages are fully realized.

We claim:

1. A baby bottle and music boxunit comprising:

a. a baby bottle having a tubular casing with an open top end forreceiving thereon a nipple having a depending skirt that fits over theopen top end, and, an open bottom end;

b. a cap with an open end and a closed end formed with apositioninghole, the cap including an upper cylindrical section sized to be pressfitted into the casing bottom end and a lower cylindrical section oflarger diameter than that of the upper cylindrical section andsubstantially equal to the nipple skirt diameter so that the cap may bealternatively fitted on and over the casing top end;

c. a recess formed in the cap-closed end generally surrounding thepositioning hole; and,

d. a music box retained in the cap and arranged adjacent the cap-closedend, the music box including a windup stem positioned through thepositioning hole and a crank pivotally secured to the windup stem andsized to lie within the recess when in its retracted position.

2. The structure according to claim 1, including:

holding means coupled to an interior wall portion of the cap forretaining the music box in a confined position.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the holding meansincludes:

a plurality of locking tabs extending inwardly from the cap interiorwall and being arranged to make snap-fitting engagement with the musicbox.

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein;

both the cap and music box are generally of circular crosssectionalshape.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein;

the music box is entirely included within the cap upper cylindricalsection.

t i i t

1. A baby bottle and music box unit comprising: a. a baby bottle havinga tubular casing with an open top end for receiving thereon a nipplehaving a depending skirt that fits over the open top end, and, an openbottom end; b. a cap with an open end and a closed end formed with apositioning hole, the cap including an upper cylindrical section sizedto be press fitted into the casing bottom end and a lower cylindricalsection of larger diameter than that of the upper cylindrical sectionand substantially equal to the nipple skirt diameter so that the cap maybe alternatively fitted on and over the casing top end; c. a recessformed in the cap-closed end generally surrounding the positioning hole;and, d. a music box retained in the cap and arranged adjacent thecap-closed end, the music box including a windup stem positioned throughthe positioning hole and a crank pivotally secured to the windup stemand sized to lie within the recess when in its retracted position. 2.The structure according to claim 1, including: holding means coupled toan interior wall portion of the cap for retaining the music box in aconfined position.
 3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein theholding means includes: a plurality of locking tabs extending inwardlyfrom the cap interior wall and being arranged to make snap-fittingengagement with the music box.
 4. The structure according to claim 3,wherein; both the cap and music box are generally of circularcross-sectional shape.
 5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein;the music box is entirely included within the cap upper cylindricalsection.